| Catharanthus
roseus Madagascar
Periwinkle, Rose Periwinkle or Vinca
Madagascar
Periwinkle, Rose Periwinkle or Vinca is a perennial valuable for its
tolerance of heat and humidity as well as its long and colorful display of
flowers through the spectrum from mauve-pink to
white. This plant is a native of Madagascar, India of the family Apocynaceae.
Derivatives from Periwinkle are used in a variety of medicines and treatments for human
ailments including leukemia and hodgkins disease. Plants seed themselves into the landscape.
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![Catharanthus roseus hybrid [Click to Enlarge]](catharanthussp2.jpg)
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Plant
Facts:
Common Name: Madagascar
Periwinkle, Rose Periwinkle or Vinca
Botanical Name:
Catharanthus roseus, also known as
Vinca rosea, Vinca multiflora
Family: Apocynaceae
Plant Type: Heat
tolerant perennial
Origin: India
Zones: 10
Height: 1-2'
Rate of Growth: Fast
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Soil Requirements: Tolerates
most soils
Water Requirements: Must
not dry out
Nutritional Requirements: Balanced
liquid fertilizer monthly
Light Requirements: Full
sun
Form: Erect,
bushy plant
Leaves: Paired,
glossy and fleshy oblong 1-3"
Flowers: Phlox-like
1-1 1/2", usually mauve-pink or white, often with a darker eye.
Fruits: None
Pests or diseases: None
Uses: Group
or border plantings
Bad Habits: Adept
at getting loose and growing in wild areas. Often viewed as a weed throughout
Florida.
Cost: $ --
very reasonable
Propagation:
Seed, often self-sows
Sources:   American
Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants,  Flora:
A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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